Lalu says no rift within UPA

New Delhi, Feb. 21 (ANI): Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday said there were no differences among various constituents of the United Progressive Alliance.

Political churnings had earlier suggested that rifts were beginning to widen between Lalu's Rashtrya Janta Dal and Lok Janshakthi Party of Union Fertilisers and Chemicals Minister Ram Vilas Paswan with the nearing of the general election.

But Lalu denied any trouble between RJD and LJD saying both the parties were loyal to the UPA.

"There is no confusion. We are having discussions with everybody. I met Paswanji (chief of Lok Janshakthi Party) at a function last night. Our alliance is UPA, and we want to contest election together. So when we have to come together anyway, there is no point in haggling," Prasad said on the sidelines of an award function in New Delhi.

Prasad said he was not averse to forging an alliance with the Communist parties that had quit the ruling coalition over the nuclear deal with the US.

"Communists are our permanent friends.... Yes, we can," said Prasad.

General elections will be held sometime in May, the dates have not been finalized yet and the main contest this year is likely to be between the Congress party and Bharatiya Janata Party. (ANI)